The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1887-09-16

FRIDAY, SEPT. l6, 1887.
OUR PARIS LETTER.

y
off, or recommending. Abiding to
the failure of the seconds to arrange
meet, the general alleges he want
ed the plan of continuous popping
till either adversary or both, was
wounded or killed; he desired in
word, serious, not a mock duel.
But as Jules Ferry accepted to fight
on the same lines as the generals
last and first duel, with Baron de
Lareinty, he raises the inference,
that was all farce. Perhaps, too,
it was, and not q few at the time
were of that opinion. The whole in
cident is deplorable. Never do l
remember political opinion so in
tensely rabid, and this between re-
publicans. If the house continue
divided against itself, it is impossi-
BILE to see how it can stand. The
caricatures are not witty, but filthy.
The old project is being trotted out
as if new gospel, that of Bismarck
Selling the Netherlands and the
Dutch colonies, in exchange for
Alsace and Lorraine. Only Bis
mark can protect Holland, Belgium
and Denmark without the permission
of any European power, and keep
ing Alsace into the bargain, what
Moltke called "the western boule-
ward of the German empire" For
France the cure would, if practic-
able be worse than the disease. In
calculating the unknown, it must
not be forgotten, that in addition to
the re-possession of Alsace, France
desires to regain her supremacy in
Europe. 1t is there where united
Germany blocks the way, and united
Italy also. Napoleon / would never
have had his walk over the Cont
nent, had he in his day these two
unities to combat. Further Bis
marck is known TO entertain very
syllabus ideas about the surrender
ing of territory; indeed all great
powers more or less are disciples of
Rob Roy's political economy.
Katkoff's death may, after all, be
an all-round benefit. Beyond doubt
it has caused France to ask herself
the question, what she would gain by
an alliance with Russia. What
could she offer the Muscovite to
bind him, till it suited his interest to
ally himself elsewhere. There is no
difficulty to comprehend what she
could not do. When Bismarck pur-
chased the neutrality, or alliance of
Russia in 1870, he undertook, as
payment to back up the Gar, to
smash the 1856 treaty of Paris
France has no bait to offer, which
would not be a greater evil for her
than the unreliable support Of the
Muscovite. No one can regulate
the march of whirlwind. An al
lance is a marketable commodity,
where self-interest is the current
coin that defrays the expense.
After the capitulation of Paris in
January, 1871, it was requested,
that visitors, ETC., would abstain
from coming to the capital, till it
had been provided with provisions.
1t would be full time to issue a
kindred notice, urging absention till
Paris was secured a supply of water.
Citizens are on short commons res
pecting this necessary of life since
months; the Seine, on which all
hopes rest, for the artificial supply
has long ceased to be even a SOU
venir, is getting small by degrees.
The streets are as dry as the Sahara,
and so the Seiners have it all to theme
selves. There is no use flying to the
country: there "fghts for the wells"
are the order of the day. One writer
suggests the formation of a COM
pany to distil sea water at Dieppe
and convey it, like milk trains to
Paris, selling it free from microbic
adulteration. If the drought con-
tinuss, dram shops will become
bankrupt, and hydropats Will have
to fall back on toxical preparations
to wet whistles. The dairy interest
has suffered terribly by the scorch-
ing sun; why canned milk will be-
come useless even, for the want of
diluting medium.
In the local fetes round the CITY.
balloon and fire works, are sure to
draw the crowd, On Sunday last
at Asnleres, Goddard had a captive
balloon, and gave personally con-
Quoted ascensions. Two English
men, who arrived from London that
morning to do Paris, paid their
1Ofr. for an ascension; they soon
enjoyed the advantages of being in
a land of liberty, the rope snapped,
and up flew the monster. In the
space of five minutes the travellers
passed from tropical to north
pole temperature. Down come the
balloon as rapidly, and rolled like
a monster ship from side to side,
over the Seine, another bound sky
wards, and drift towards Yer
sailles, when a second descent took
place, and while the anchor was.
being let 60, the balloon burst with
a parting sigh as if some Scandal
nayian god had expired. No one
was injured. Goddard presented a
morsel of his rent ship to his CO.
yoyagers the Englishmen had just
time to return to the city, pick up